The Next Marauders
by KitKatPotterLover
Summary: What if Harry was raised by Remus and Sirius? What if Remus met Tonks at school, and they had Teddy around the same time James and Lily had Harry? What if Harry ended up behaving just like his father? Set during seventh year, no Voldemort after the attack on Harry's parents. Harmony fic.
1. Chapter 1

The Next Marauders

Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter! Please let me know if you think I should continue this.

Chapter One

They had labeled themselves the second generation of marauders. Teddy, Neville, Ron, and Harry were all popular Gryffindor boys with girls from every house vying for their attention. They were also stars on their house team, Harry playing seeker like his father before him, Ron as keeper, and Neville and Teddy were the beaters once the Weasley Twins had finally graduated and left the two most coveted (and open) positions ready to be filled.

They spent the majority of their time not taken up by Quidditch or school work doing exactly the same thing they were up to at the moment. Lounging near the Whomping Willow, far enough to keep from being hit for going too close was there favorite shared activity. Harry was playing with a snitch he'd been permitted to keep, (the first he'd ever caught) Ron was eating what the rest of the group assumed to be a third lunch, Neville studied a plant he'd recently found an interest with, and Teddy was reading from one of his text books while his hair changed color in ripples.

Few things ever topped their relaxation, especially because their attention could stray anywhere they wanted. For instance, Harry wasn't focused on the snitch he was toying around with at all. He kept glancing over at the lake where a group of girls were all chatting together. His friends were the only ones who knew about his legitimate crush on Hermione Granger, and their only judgement towards him on that subject was that he needed to quit watching from a distance and just ask her out already. The problem was that Harry didn't know how to appeal to her. Sure, he was great with beautiful girls and wasn't exactly innocent, but Granger was different. She wasn't a quick, easy, meaningless shag. Granger was smart, sweet, and interesting. She was unique amongst the girls of Hogwarts and it scared Harry that he was so drawn to her.

Ron huffed and vanished the remains of his food. "Quit staring at her like a love sick puppy," he grunted at Harry and rolled his eyes. "Either ask her out or give it up."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Can't do either yet mate, if it bothers you find something else to occupy yourself with."

Teddy laughed and turned the page in his book. "You say that every day Harry, why do you keep putting yourself down?"

Harry shrugged. "She's not typical, my usual tactics wouldn't work and you know it."

Neville turned to face Harry. "Send her anonymous letters?" He suggested.

Harry thought to himself for a moment about Neville's idea and shrugged yet again. "Maybe," he concluded. "She might see through it though."

Ron groaned and sat up with a scowl. "You're pathetic, you know that? Got about twenty girls desperate to get in your pants and not only are you stuck on Granger, you won't even make a move."

Harry rolled his eyes, "One of those girls is your sister; you think I should give her what she wants?" Ron pretended to gag and shook his head.

"Bloody hell Harry you don't have to make me lose my lunch. I was just saying you should either enjoy yourself with a few of the girls that want you, or make a bloody move with Granger. Anyway, I heard McLaggen wants to ask her out so you better get a move on or give it up." Harry seethed for a moment and put away the snitch before a hex went flying his way. He dodged just in time and pulled his wand to find Draco Malfoy at the other end of it.

The blond pureblood that attacked Harry was one of the few people in the world that Harry hated. Draco Malfoy's father had sided with Harry's parents' murderer before the bastard died. Now Draco was clinging to the old beliefs that those of pure blood were better than everyone else because his father force fed him that garbage from day one.

Harry stepped away from the tree, holding up his wand in a defensive motion. Draco had his own wand held out in front of him, his eyes wild. Harry concluded that the blond had just run into Harry's latest prank, devil's snare in the Slytherin common room. "You're gonna pay Potter!" Malfoy yelled and a light shot out of his wand. Harry pulled up a shield in time to block whatever it was Malfoy sent his way and disarmed him.

"Oh am I?" Harry asked as he transfigured Draco into a ferret. "Pathetic rodent," he muttered and started levitating his transfigured enemy up and down and all around almost like a show. Crabbe and Goyle came running up to defend their "leader," but Teddy had them suspended in mid-air by their ankles only a moment after they arrived. Ron was leaning on Neville as he laughed and Neville simply had his arms crossed over his chest with a huge grin on his face.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" A loud, feminine voice shouted and before Harry knew it Hermione Granger was right in front of him with a stony expression and her hands on her hips. Her wildly curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail that fell to the center of her back. "Is this really necessary?" She asked, waving a hand in their direction.

"Malfoy attacked Harry first," Ron stated in defense of Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Never heard the phrase 'the bigger man walks away'? Just leave them alone and walk away, it's pathetic to humiliate someone this way."

Harry shrugged. "If you really think they deserve to be left alone, fair enough." He flicked his wand and a moment later Malfoy was back to normal, lying on the ground, along with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Thank you," Hermione said and turned around, walking away from Harry with her ponytail swaying back and forth.

Before she was out of ear shot though, Malfoy did something unforgivable in Harry's book. "I don't need your help mudblood!"

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Malfoy with scorn. After a moment she shrugged and scratched the bridge of her nose. "Twitchy little ferret, aren't you?" She asked and suddenly he was back to being exactly that.

Harry was beyond impressed and planned on telling her exactly that, but she was already long gone. "She's the one mate," Harry stated to Ron with a smirk and Ron merely rolled his eyes.

"Then make a bloody move already! You're gonna lose her before you've gotten her if you don't hurry up!"


	2. Chapter 2

The New Marauders

Author's Note: Apparently I've gotten an overall positive reaction to this story so I will continue it. Thank you so much for the support everyone

Chapter Two

Hermione just didn't know what was going on with her anymore. She'd never once been attracted to ANY guy, and now she couldn't take her mind off of Harry bloody Potter. He used to not exist to her, he was completely off her radar for the first couple of years. Then he annoyed her with his arrogant strutting about the castle with Weasley, Lupin, and Longbotton. He annoyed her with his near-constant dueling with Malfoy, making a scene everywhere outside the classrooms. His hair annoyed her, his scar, glasses, fame, and mere existence annoyed her!

Then she spends a week thinking about how he immediately dropped his duel with Malfoy and even reversed his friend's magic on Malfoy's bodyguards simply because she told him to. She thought about the look of outrage on his face when Malfoy called her a mudblood. She couldn't shake her interest no matter what she did, and it seemed as though he was everywhere now that she was thinking about him differently.

Everywhere she went he was walking by, waving to one of his friends, playing with his stupid snitch, studying, working on schoolwork, or flying on the damn Firebolt his godfather had sent him a good few years back. She couldn't stop thinking about him, or hoping that he was thinking of her too.

"Hermione Granger at a Quidditch Game, I never thought I'd see the day." Hermione looked up to see one of her closest friends standing over her.

Ginny Weasley may have been a year younger than her, but she was more mature than all of Hermione's "dorm mates" combined. Standing beside the youngest Weasley was Hermione's other best friend, Luna Lovegood. It took Hermione a couple years to understand Luna. At first she thought the blonde girl was a moron because she believed in creatures that weren't real, but as time went by she came to see her differently, accepting that Luna simply did not dismiss the possibility of something existing because it had yet to be discovered.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders in response of the red-head's statement. "It's a Gryffindor game, I'd like to see our house win against Slytherin. I'm still a bit raw about being called that vile derogatory term by Malfoy."

Ginny nodded and both girls sat on either side of their muggle-born best friend. "Potter lit the ferret on fire in the corridors yesterday." Hermione shrugged again and watched as the two people Ginny mentioned raced through the air. Apparently one or both of them had caught sight of the snitch. All three girls watched with bated breath as Harry reached out his hand and closed his fist around something.

The cheering crowd alerted Hermione to the fact that Harry Potter had caught the snitch and that Gryffindor had won the game. She wasn't sure why but she felt incredibly proud of the Gryffindor seeker for catching the golden ball with wings. Hermione shook herself mentally and made her way out of the stands flanked by Ginny and Luna.

The muggle born knew that she was the ring-leader of their little group. Despite the fact that Luna was the Ravenclaw, Hermione was the smartest of the three. Luna was the sweetest and most beautiful, while Ginny was the toughest and most athletic, easily staying rather attractive as well. She wasn't sure when their roles in their trio were formed and taken on, but they certainly fit with each other's personalities. Hermione was the brains and the leader, Luna was the beauty, and Ginny was the bodyguard.

It wasn't long before they ran into Potter having a conversation with Katie Bell, one of the Gryffindor chasers. "I warned you ahead of time Katie, and Alicia and Angelina both offered to help you. I wanted to wait out catching the snitch at least ten more minutes but I couldn't do that with you failing to score even once with the Quaffle. We can't have another game go this way or we're gonna lose the cup."

Potter had his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face, but his tone was calm and he seemed to at least be trying to tell her this politely. "And you are you going to get to replace me this late in the game, Potter?" Katie asked with a cruel smile forming.

Potter shrugged. "Haven't a clue, but I'm sure there will be at least a few people that'll show if I make an announcement that the Gryffindor team needs a chaser." Katie seemed outraged and drew her wand. Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Curse me, jinx me, or hex me, I don't care. I've tried being polite, helpful and every other damn thing that a captain should be for his teammates. The Quidditch cup is important to everyone else on this team, and if your head isn't in the game or you're not up to snuff you're just going to bring us down. I've concluded along with everyone else that both negatives apply to you, so you're off the team. Argue and cry about it if you want but my decision is final."

Katie was shaking when she put her wand away, but the moment her best weapon was safely tucked away she threw her fist straight at Harry's face. His glasses shattered, and if he hadn't have closed his eyes the moment he caught sight of her aiming for his face he'd likely have lost his eyes. Hermione rushed forward and petrified Katie before mending Harry's glasses and helping back onto his feet.

Harry took one look at Hermione once he could see through his mended glasses and smiled. "Are you stalking me? Because that would be truly amazing."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head, but couldn't manage to hide her smile. "We were just leaving the stands and I noticed that she punched you. I figured you're rather useless without your glasses, so I decided to fix them for you."

Harry nodded and his smile widened. "Thanks, that was sweet of you," he said as Hermione's two friends walked up behind her. "Hello Ginny, how have you been?" Harry asked of the red head.

Ginny shrugged. "Hating how pathetic a player you have on your team. I could do a better job with one arm tied behind my back."

Harry smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, Katie is officially off the team, so if you really believe you can do better, there's going to be a small try-out this weekend for anyone in Gryffindor that wants to take up the empty chaser position. You should come by and show us what you've got, and there will be no arm-tying necessary."

He saluted the girls and whistled as he walked away from the small group of girls with a spring in his step. Ginny's face was turning pink at Harry's statement and she shuffled her feet, trying to look anywhere other than at him.

Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you still have a crush on him, Gin?" She asked slyly.

Ginny shook her head. "Not a real crush, but I get hints of it when things like that happen. He's just an easy guy to like I guess."

Luna shrugged her shoulders and smiled dreamily. "It's a good thing you like Neville instead, Hermione's starting to develop a thing for Harry." Both the blonde's friends turned to her with bewildered expressions. That was the real reason Luna was the Ravenclaw. She may not have the grades that Hermione had, but she had strong intuition and keen observational skills. That girl seemed to know everything that most people either found to be unimportant or simply never noticed.

"How did you know I like Neville? I haven't said anything to anyone!" Ginny was astounded that Luna just knew her closely guarded secret. She hadn't said anything, never made it obvious that she liked that particular member of the new marauders, and had always been completely nonchalant whenever they exchanged a few words in passing.

Luna shrugged her shoulders again. "You've been pointedly ignoring his existence when he doesn't say hello to you first, and though you are a terrific actress you have always been flirtatious with nearly every boy you come in contact with, whether playful or serious." She turned to face Hermione with those misty, almost transparent eyes that both welcomed you to see into her being and stared straight through everyone else's. "You're far more obvious, you've been staring at Potter with interest and concern for the past week. You can't seem to figure him out and you aren't sure whether you like that or not."

Hermione's eyes widened and she crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head in a stubborn attempt to deny Luna's observation. "I most certainly have not been staring at him, nor do I care one bit about the arrogant git."

Ginny smirked and pointed at Hermione. "That proves it! Instant denial and name-calling! You DO like him!"

"I do not!" Hermione yelled back at Ginny and stormed away from both her friends, murmuring to herself about how she wanted to decapitate them both. She wouldn't follow through of course, but it was a satisfying thought when she was angry.

But that anger quickly faded when she got back to her dorm and saw a piece of folded up parchment lying on her bed. She quirked an eyebrow as she picked it up, unfolding it quickly.

I love the way you stand, so confident and proud,

I love the way you talk, so determined and in control,

I love the way you smile, obviously pleased and care-free,

I love it when you defend those around you, no matter how undeserving they are,

But what I love most is how you make me wish I were good enough for you.

-your secret admirer.

Hermione wiped away a tear and folded the note back up. She wasn't sure who sent her the note, but she hoped she'd receive another, hopefully with the name of the sender.

In the boy's dormitory Harry was lying on his bed with a smile on his face as he stared up at his ceiling. He was hoping that Hermione had gotten his first letter, and that eventually he'd have the courage to tell her it was him. Maybe when he'd gotten to know her a bit better… and began to appeal to her more as himself, he'd be completely honest. Until then… he had another letter to write.


	3. Chapter 3

The New Marauders

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since my last post for this story, I promise I haven't disappeared or anything, I just haven't been able to write for a while. Been in the grips of writer's block. By the way, I made McLaggen the same year as Hermione and the new marauders. He is also Head Boy, which is why he isn't in the seventh year boy's dormitories.

Chapter three

Your eyes are brighter than all the stars in the sky,

Your hair is a wild mane of gorgeous curls,

Your skin looks softer than velvet,

And all I want to do when I see you is tell you how I feel.

-your secret admirer.

I hate to see you scowl,

It breaks my heart when you are unhappy,

Who hurts you? What hurts you?

I wish I could make it stop for you.

-Your secret admirer.

Nothing would make me happier than to walk the halls hand in hand with you,

To hold you close when you're feeling lonesome,

To study with you instead of watching you sit there all alone,

To eat every meal with you and feign frustration every time you steal a bite of my food.

But If I told you who I am, would you want the same thing?

-your secret admirer.

It had been almost a week since Harry sent his last letter, and watching Hermione had been making him uneasy. She looked frustrated, upset even. Just after his last letter she was bright and smiling and had been that way for a day at least. Then she just seemed to be watching everyone with suspicion. Maybe it was time to send her a letter, or perhaps he should have never started the hobby of writing to her and not leaving his name.

Was she angry with him over it? Did she think he was a creepy stalker? Was he scaring her? Was she just frustrated that she hadn't figured out who he was yet? Harry wasn't sure but he was worried nonetheless.

Then at least one of his suspicions was confirmed. During one of Hermione's study sessions that Harry was shamelessly spying on, the brunette was approached by Cormac McLaggen. "Granger," he said and Hermione looked up at him in irritation. "How would you like to come to Hogsmead with me next weekend?" He asked with that smug smile that always reminded Harry of Lockhart.

Hermione shut her book with her index finger between the pages and stood up. "I'll say yes if you can answer one question correctly." Harry's blood ran cold as McLaggen smirked and told her he'd answer whatever question so perfectly she'd beg him to give her all his attention. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "How would you describe my hair?"

McLaggen shrugged. "It's crazy and curly I guess. Why?"

Harry sighed in relief as Hermione giggled. "Well that's a relief, obviously you're not who I'm looking for, but nice try. If he doesn't show himself I may indulge you in a pity date. After I've died three times over."

Harry couldn't help watching Hermione strut all the way out of the library, her hips swaying ever so slightly with what Harry assumed was her growing confidence. He was beyond relieved that Cormac had failed to answer her question correctly, and was far too proud of the fact that she was finally revealing that she had a secret admirer and that she was trying to find the guy by using the letters. Maybe it was time to make it more interesting…

Hermione was growing more and more frustrated as the day went on. Her "secret admirer" hadn't sent her a letter in five days and she hated that it hurt. She was also disgusted with McLaggen and relieved that he had answered her question wrong. Her only clues toward finding her secret admirer was to use his writing, his compliments, hopes, and worries to filter through any and all blokes that approached her. Whoever this young man was, he had a unique way of conveying his messages. He wouldn't have called her hair crazy and curly if she was trying to point out to him that she was searching for him. He would have quoted himself, because he obviously means what he says.

But why had he gone silent? Was he suddenly afraid of what he'd started? Did he worry that she wouldn't want him because he presented himself differently in person than he did in writing? Was he someone she genuinely disliked?

For the first time in her life, Hermione had run into a riddle she could not solve on her own. But she was also worried about showing the letters to anyone else, especially Ginny or Luna. Luna was far too intuitive and would likely figure out who it was in an instant. Ginny was incredibly popular with other girls and most of the boys she ran into. It would be over too quickly and easily if she showed the letter to either of her friends and she wanted to figure it out on her own. Call it stubbornness but the way Hermione saw it this was her mystery and she was the only one with the right to solve it.

And then it happened. After all of her classes had ended, she had finished dinner, taken a bath in the prefect's bathroom to relax herself and made her way back to her dormitory to sleep, she found another letter on her pillow.

She nearly tore it open she was so excited, and she almost forgot to scold herself for letting some mystery boy affect her so much.

I want you. I need you.

Please smile again, it lights up my world.

I saw McLaggen corner you.

I know you're looking for me.

I don't plan to show myself.

Find me, and I won't hide.

From now on I'll give you a clue until you approach me.

One of my favorite fantasies is holding you close in our common room,

Seated close to the fire as it burns as relentlessly as your spark.

The spark in your heart that makes you unique.

Find me, and I'll fan the spark into an everlasting flame,

As strong as what I feel for you.

Hermione's eyes welled up with tears and she pressed the parchment to her chest. His clue wasn't much, but it narrowed down her search. He was a Gryffindor.

Harry rolled over in bed and sighed. "What is it this time Harry?" Ron asked and sat up in bed, trying to see what was wrong with his friend.

"I just sent her another letter… I'm worried she won't figure out the clue I gave. Or that she will and she'll know it's me and wait for me in the common room just to confront me and tell me to stop. What if she's only looking for me to tell me off?" He asked rather worried.

Ron gulped. "She's looking for you?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "McLaggen approached her today. She tested him by asking how he would describe her hair. What he said didn't match what I said, so she sent him away."

Ron shrugged. "So? Maybe she just didn't like him and decided to see if he would give her a worthwhile compliment."

"She told him that was a relief he wasn't who she was looking for, then told him off and made her way out of the library."

Neville joined the conversation at that point. "Why don't you just walk up to her and tell her the truth then? This has been going on for over a month and you still haven't done anything to get into her good graces except put Ron's sister on the team, which is a definite step up from Katie, but still."

Harry shrugged. "I don't want to trick her or reveal myself too soon. I want her to figure it out on her own." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm giving her another clue tomorrow. What should it be?"

Ron smirked. "Something about Quidditch. You're trying to narrow down her search and that would narrow it down a ton."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe she'll figure it out before the big game this Saturday."

Teddy grumbled and rolled over in bed. "Great, then you can beg her to wear your extra jersey and pray it helps you play better. Go to sleep you love sick puppy!" He cried and flopped onto his pillow with a groan. "And let me sleep too while you're at it."

The marauders laughed together and each one drifted off to sleep one by one. The last of them left awake was Harry, staring up at his ceiling and wishing Hermione was his.


End file.
